Reading private taxi driver bid to use bus lanes rejected

Currently, black cab Hackney Carriages are allowed to use a number of the bus lanes in Reading, whereas pre-booked private hire taxis are only allowed to use the regular road network and the westbound King’s Road bus lane.

Private taxi drivers have been allowed to use that bus lane since 2013, but a petition has called for access to the eastbound bus lane along King’s Road as well in an effort to speed up journeys.

The petition, organised by a group of taxi drivers, gained 187 signatures and was submitted to Reading Borough Council to call for private taxis to use the bus lane for a six month trial period.

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However, councillors chose not to grant the drivers their request at the time.

The petition was presented by Kamran Saddiq, who argued customers are complaining about delays.

Mr Saddiq said: “We believe opening the bus lanes will make it easier to provide transport to both passengers and school children, and reduce pollution and improve the quality of air.

“Finally, as more housing developments are going up in and around Reading, without provision of schools, surgeries and local services, we’re seeing an increase in the car use creating traffic gridlocks.

“Private hire should be given access to bus lanes so we can reduce time travelled and encourage passengers to use public transport more.”

The outbound bus lane in Kings Road, Reading. Private taxi drivers had proposed to be allowed to use the bus lane for a six month trial period. Credit: Google Maps

He added that private hire taxis are allowed to use all bus lanes in Portsmouth, Southampton and South Oxfordshire, arguing the same should be granted in Reading.

A fellow petitioner said that private taxi drivers are willing to financially facilitate required changes to signage.

The meeting then fell into procedural chaos, as the petitioners were led to believe they would each get five minutes to speak.

However, petitioners are only allowed five minutes to speak in total, which was pointed out by deputy chairman councillor Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham).

Cllr Rob White, Green leader of the opposition (Park) pointed out allowing people to speak for longer is at the chair’s discretion.

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Tony Page, lead councillor for transport, argued it was unfair to compare Reading to Portsmouth and Southampton, given that Reading has one of the most extensive and heavily used bus lane networks outside of London.

Cllr Page said: “The cities you’ve quoted have a minimal operation of public transport by comparison.

“Their bus lanes are not used anything like as extensively.”

He went on to argue the purpose of bus lanes are to speed up public transport rather than private vehicles.

Salman Kayani, the joint proposer to allow private taxis to use the eastbound Kings Road bus lane in Reading. Credit: Salman Kayani

Asif Rashid, the chairman of the Reading Taxi Association, also opposed the petition, called for a complete review of bus lane usage, and agreed that there is a difference between private hire and hackney carriages, which can be hailed.

The council’s highways department recommended not allowing private taxis to use the eastbound King’s Road bus lane yet, and instead wait for strategic review of bus lane usage in Reading to be undertaken.

Labour and Conservative councillors voted for the recommendation, with cllr White opposing it.

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The exchanges took place at the traffic management sub-committee meeting on Thursday, November 10.

Following the decision, Mr Saddiq said private taxi drivers had been “fobbed off” by the council.

The petition was jointly proposed by Mr Saddiq and Salman Kayani, who was unable to attend the meeting.